Diagnosis (genus): Species in this genus have 17 midbody scale rows, 159–187 ventrals, 101–133 subcaudals, 2 apical scale pits, 8 upper labials, 10 lower labials, 13–17 total maxillary teeth, and 17–21 dentary teeth (Table 2). Cubophis differs in at least one of these characters from all other alsophiine genera except Hypsirhynchus. It differs from Hypsirhynchus in hemipenial characters such as the presence of enlarged papillate body calyces in the basal region and medial surface of the lobes (Zaher 1999).

Etymology

Etymology (genus): The generic name refers to its distribution, centered on Cuba and nearby islands.